My Northern Home

Sodankylä, June 2020 I was waiting for it many days. In the news they promised it would come. I almost lost my hope. But then, the spring flood finally started. It was a time for a flood adventure I have always loved to experience the power of the nature. And the running water is one of the most powerful ones. It will make it's way. Where ever it want's to go. Now it didn't fit anymore in the riverbed. And started to take over the forests and fields around it. And houses of those wanting to live (too) near the river. With our bicycles we went to look for the familiar places around our city, now taken over by the rivers Jeesiö and Kitinen. It was exciting to cycle in the water. Feeling how the strong stream tried to catch our tires. Wanting to takes us with it. At some point the water went so deep That it was hard to cycle fast enough to avoid falling down. And my fatbike tires actually started to float like a pontoons. Finally, but not surprisingly, we end up swimming in th...

In these times of isolation and uncertainty, the social contacts we can have, come more valuable. I feel, that one can't survive without any. Sure you can phone your sister the other end of the country, or Whatsapp your friends around the globe. But it can't give the same, as a shared cup of tea. As many other, I have minimized my social contacts. And I have come more grateful for them. And for, that it is still possible for us to go outside to share that cup of tea. And laugh away all the agony of the world situation. This time me and my most dear French friend went to explore Hirviäkuru canyon at Pittiövaara hill. I have been here many times (here is the link to my previous adventure in this place) , as the place is literally on my backyard, but still this was my first time down in the canyon at winter time. The snow cover made everything look totally different. We wondered everything around us. T...

For a some time now I have had this idea to write about the backyard adventures. How people too often want to travel far away to experience exotic things, which they feel they can value. So they can have a feeling of getting something better (than ordinary) out of their life. Now, due the exceptional times we are living, it feels like there wouldn't be better time for this topic. I collected here some pictures from my backyard adventures. And don't get me wrong. Some of the pics are literally from my backyard, but all of them are from my hometown, as I count my hometown and it's forests as my backyard. I have said it already before and will say it again. Why go further into the sea for fish? Sure it is sometime nice to see exotic places. To have some perspective. To experience the high mountains and moist fertile forests, which we don't have here in Finland. But all this fuss about foreign places, ...